


The Celestial Fox and the Kannushi in Training

by hototogisu



Category: Magic Kaito, 名探偵コナン | Detective Conan | Case Closed
Genre: Alternate Universe, Chance Meetings, Forbidden Love, Inspired by Music, Japanese Mythology & Folklore, M/M, One Shot, Shinichi is an apprentice kannushi, Youkai, kitsune kaito
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-28
Updated: 2020-11-28
Packaged: 2021-03-10 05:20:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,916
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27748897
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hototogisu/pseuds/hototogisu
Summary: "You can't fit a lifetime into a moment, but I pray this moment lasts a lifetime."Shinichi is a kannushi in training, the future head of a shrine that worships Amatsu Kitsune sama, a celestial fox that protects the night's lights.Amatsu Kitsune sama rarely interacted with humans and preferred to avoid them as human and youkai lives were completely incompatible.Their chance meeting and subsequent forbidden romance ensues.
Relationships: Kudou Shinichi | Edogawa Conan/Kuroba Kaito | Kaitou Kid
Comments: 8
Kudos: 69





	The Celestial Fox and the Kannushi in Training

**Author's Note:**

> Ahh, I accidentally wrote this yesterday, so here ya go AO3! This story was inspired by the concept of アマツキツネ/The Celestial Fox by Marasy8, who's a great pianist and songwriter by the way. 
> 
> Japanese word definitions:  
> Kannushi: person in charge of a shinto shrine and the worship of the shrine's god  
> Miko: shrine maidens or priestesses  
> Amatsu Kitsune sama: celestial fox god  
> Samue: type of garment  
> Youkai: supernatural elements including ghosts, demons, etc.  
> Toori: shrine gate  
> Chouzuya: area in a shrine where water is held so that one can clean and purify themselves  
> Ochoko: traditional dish/platter of which sake is enjoyed 
> 
> Warnings: None to my knowledge!
> 
> I do not own Detective Conan/名探偵コナン or Magic Kaito/まじっく快斗. All rights go to Gosho Aoyama/青山 剛昌. Any similarities to other written works are purely coincidental. DO NOT repost this work. Translations must be requested, and if in Spanish or Japanese, I must approve the translation.

_“Why do want to work at the shrine as a kannushi?”_

_“I’ve always admired the night sky and I passed all of my kannushi tests with flying colors. Also, I’ve always wanted to work here under you. You’re one of the best writers and have the best anthologies on youkai and the heavens. I want to learn.”_

_“Working at this shrine under me will be a lot of work, you understand this, right? You will spend the rest of your life here vowing to serve our god.”_

_“I understand and will devote my life to Amatsu Kitsune sama.”_

_“Then, I welcome you to this shrine. You will spend tonight in quiet prayer, and tomorrow, you will start working with the miko. I will train you as I see fit and when I see fit. Please go fetch dinner with the miko. I must finish up my tasks here.”_

* * *

SUMMER

We were in the middle of the humid Japanese summer and I was carrying a basket full of peaches. The sky was sunny, but clouds in the distance promised rain. I looked forward to it. The shrine miko would not send me out to the town to run errands in the rain. For now, though, I would be fighting the sun and dust I kicked up as I walked.

I set the basket down and wiped the sweat from my brow. I was a kannushi in training, but instead of learning the daily tasks of a kannushi, I spent most of my days working for the miko. We needed more offerings for our deity, so I was sent to the town to fetch the sweetest peaches. They smelled ripe and the summer sun tempted me to eat one, but I withheld. I couldn’t. These peaches were for Amatsu Kitsune sama after all.

Amatsu Kitsune sama was our deity of the night sky, a celestial fox. It was said that Amatsu Kitsune sama kept the lights in the sky.

Shaking my head, I wiped my hands on my samue and pushed the sleeves up before lifting the basket again. I still had a long road ahead of me to the shrine. I could just barely make out the entrance torii from here.

While walking, I heard the most mournful, lovely music, and it paused me in my tracks. Under the shade of a plum tree was the most beautiful man I’d ever seen playing a shamisen. He appeared deep in concentration with his eyebrows creased, but he hummed lightly to the music. He was surrounded by sparrows and deer. I set down the basket to watch in awe.

He finished the song and he immediately flicked his gaze to me. I stumbled back in surprise, but he offered me a smile.

“I’m sorry I listened to you play, but you play so beautifully.” His smile only grew, and it made my heart beat uncomfortably under his piercing gaze.

“The animals listen to me without permission, you’re welcome to as well. This shamisen was created to make others happy but thank you for your compliment. Who are you?”

“Kudo Shinichi, kannushi in training. It’s good to meet you. May I ask your name?” I bowed lowly. The shamisen player stood.

“Please call me Kaito. It’s my pleasure to meet you, Kudo san. A kannushi in training, hm? These peaches must be for Amatsu Kitsune sama then. He will be pleased with these. I hear his has a sweet tooth.” With that, Kaito san walked towards me and grabbed a peach from the top of the basket, but before I could protest, a huge gust of wind came our way. I braced myself and when I reopened my eyes, he was gone.

“Kaito san, more like Kaitou san,” I muttered under my breath. _How dare he steal a peach from Amatsu Kitsune sama like that?! Does he have no respect?!_ I mulled over the thief the rest of my walk back to the shrine.

The miko were pleased with the peaches, though I withheld the encounter with the thief. I didn’t want to worry them or face scolding for allowing a commoner to steal offerings from our god.

The next morning, I awoke with lavender flowers next to my head. No one admitted to giving me the flowers, so I assumed it was present from the gods, maybe even Amatsu Kitsune sama himself. They were placed in a vase with water in my sleeping quarters.

* * *

_“Please tell me more about Amatsu Kitsune sama.”_

_“Very well. Amatsu Kitsune sama is the deity of the night sky, the heavens, light… Amatsu Kitsunes are the lights in the sky, they guard the lights in the sky, they keep us safe.”_

_“Have you ever met Amatsu Kitsune sama?”_

_“Yes, though this is a story for another time. Celestial foxes tend to avoid humans and it’s rare for Amatsu Kitsune sama to make our acquaintance.”_

* * *

FALL

A season had passed since I’d met Kaito and I hadn’t seen him since he played the shamisen under the plum tree. The cruel sun and summer rains had transformed into brilliant colors and chilly nights. I now looked forward to my trips into town where I could walk along the outskirts of the forest and crunch the leaves under foot. My breath left in small puffs and I admired the squirrels that toiled about with chestnuts.

Once again, I was heading to the town to fetch offerings for Amatsu Kitsune sama. Given the season, candied plums and roasted chestnuts were at the top of my list.

The town was small, as to be expected for a remote mountain community, so everyone knew each other well. We were a devout community too; everyone paid their regards to Amatsu Kitsune sama. As isolated as we were, we needed all the blessings from our god to keep our land healthy and well-lit.

I walked up to a seller’s stand. “Good afternoon, Tanaka san. I hope you’re doing well today.”

“Ahh, Kudo tono! Are we picking up more offerings for Amatsu Kitsune sama?”

“Yes, I’m here for candied plums or apples and roasted chestnuts. I can roast them myself as well.” He smiled.

“Please take as many plums, apples, and chestnuts as you’d like. Winter is coming; we need to please Amatsu Kitsune sama to stay safe and warm.”

“Thank you, Tanaka san!” I began picking through the plums and chestnuts with a discerning eye. Only the cream of the crop was fit for our deity. When my bag was filled to the brim, I set coins down on the counter.

“There’s no need Kudo tono.”

“Please accept Tanaka san. Use the money to buy something for your children. Thank you for the chestnuts and plums.” I bowed before leaving the stand.

Before I made it to the edge of the town, another villager approached me. Their hand connected with my shoulder from behind and a chill ran through my body. I turned quickly to meet a young woman.

“Kudo san, I’m sorry for the intrusion, but please offer this up to Amatsu Kitsune sama as well.” She bowed lowly, offering me a small carved statue of a fox.

“Of course. I will leave this with the other offerings. May I have your name so I can offer up a prayer?”

“Maeda,” she responded, still in her bow. I nodded back to her and bid her farewell. I then set off back to the shrine, an hour’s walk away.

As I walked, the basket seemed to grow heavier and heavier and I set it down, trying to catch my breath. _I’m so tired, suddenly… I’m still 30 minutes away… I can’t rest now; it’ll be dark soon. I can’t be in the forest alone at night! I’ll be spirited away!_

I tried to take another step, but I fell forward and collapsed onto the autumn leaves.

“Kudo san!” I could barely keep my eyes open, but my hazy gaze could make out Kaito san crouched next to me. “Kudo san! What happened?” He reached out to touch me, but he hissed when his hand made contact with my body. “Who cursed you?” He sounded so panicked and for us being strangers, it struck me as odd. My eyes rolled to meet his. _You have pretty eyes,_ was the only thought my sluggish brain could make.

“C-cursed?” I mumbled back.

“Yes, cursed! It’s a bad one too. Someone’s trying to drain your lifeforce. I think I can undo it though. Please stay still and bear with it a bit longer, I promise I’ll make you feel better!” He lifted me up and undid my samue, letting the shoulder sleeve fall to the side. Black tendrils covered the area Maeda san had touched and they stretched out across my torso, reaching towards my heart. Seeing this made me dizzy, and my breath caught in my throat with fear.

“It’s okay, Kudo san. Please keep breathing, I’ll have this taken care of shortly.” Kaito san mumbled back to me before muttering something under his breath.

A flame suddenly engulfed his hand and he pressed the fire against my shoulder. I flinched back expecting pain, but it never came. Instead, a comforting warmth spread throughout my body and I relaxed into his touch.

When Kaito san pulled his hand away, burns covered his palms and they shook slightly. He offered me a fond smile that I couldn’t help but return. Somehow, in spite us only having met once before, I felt a strong connection to him.

“You should be okay now, Kudo san. You’ll still need to rest though. I can bring you back to the shrine—” Before he could finish, Maeda emerged from the woods and released a feral screech. However, Maeda now wore a kimono and had a mask that covered most of her face. Her hair fanned out around her and she floated off the ground. Kaito san tensed beside me.

“Maeda, what are you doing here?” he said with a slight snarl. “This isn’t your domain.”

“Kaito sama, it’s been awhile. I believe you’re hovering over my prey.” His grip on my body suddenly increased

“Kudo san is not your prey!” he yelled back with a hint of possessiveness that caught me off guard. “He’s a part of my jurisdiction and he works for me!”

“Oh? But Kudo san accepted a gift from me, that makes him mine! Besides, Kaito sama, you know how much spiritual energy he holds. I need to consume his soul. You don’t need to because you’re so well loved by your patrons. But if I eat a soul like that human’s, well, I’ll become more powerful than you!” With that, Maeda hurtled herself at Kaito san, who deftly jumped aside.

“Kudo san, what did Maeda give you?!” he barked at me and I quickly scrambled to grab the fox statue. Kaito san took one look at the statue and he bristled.

“Kaito san, what’s going on?” I yelled, covering my head as Maeda fired a ball of miasma at him. He caught the ball and crushed its darkness with his hand. He then jumped to me and retrieved me before propping me up against a tree. He stood defensively in front of me.

“I don’t care about stupid rules, Maeda. I’m not letting you near Kudo san. And I will seriously fight you if don’t back down.”

“It’s not just a matter of rules, Kaito sama. It’s law! He is my property now!” Maeda did not back down and Kaito san took each blow, not budging from his spot.

“Even you can’t just take hit after hit. You’re not as strong as you make yourself out to be, Kaito sama. What is it? Are you scared of revealing yourself to this human?” Kaito san flinched, and Maeda’s wicked grin grew as she knew that she had hit the nail over his head. “I might as well finish you here then!” she laughed out before shooting a large miasma pulse at us.

I braced myself and prayed to Amatsu Kitsune sama and, if to answer my prayers, he appeared. A kitsune stood between me and Maeda.

Amatsu Kitsune sama swallowed the miasma easily and his tails thrashed angrily. Fox fire circled him before expertly charging at Maeda, who dodged most, but couldn’t escape all of the kitsune’s angry barrage.

“You’re outclassed! Go home!” Amatsu Kitsune sama barked out. Maeda quivered before disappearing into the woods.

With the threat gone, my mind finally drifted back to Kaito san and a realization dawned on me. However, before I could react, the kitsune before me collapsed and melted into a small white fox covered in black miasma and cuts. 

“Kaito sama!” I gasped, crawling through the leaves to his side. He breathed laboriously and was showing token signs of miasma poisoning. I quickly muttered an incantation and prayed over his body. My prayers to the gods would reduce some of the poison, but he would need to be purified.

Though I still felt weak, I stumbled to my feet, set the basket on my back, and carried Kaito sama in my arms.

“K-Kudo san… please don’t take me to the shrine…” he murmured almost inaudibly.

“Why?” I asked, though he didn’t supply an answer. Knowing better than to disobey a god, I brought him to a cave near the shrine that would keep us sheltered enough from others’ eyes but would allow me to run back to the shrine for supplies and pure water.

After setting Kaito sama down, I ran back to the shrine and grabbed a bucket of water from the chouzuya, bedding from my room, and towels and bandages from our general storage.

I made a bed for the kitsune and laid him on the fabric. Then I went about washing his wounds and body with the purified water while chanting healing prayers. Slowly, the miasma burns subsided and his breathing seemed to steady. I then wrapped him up and kneeled next to him, ready to attend to any need. _This is my job, after all. Amatsu Kitsune sama may not show himself often, but he needs me now._

I must have fallen asleep, though, for I awoke with Kaito sama slowly stroking my hair while I laid in his lap. He had returned to his human form, though fluffy ears poked out from the top of his head and red markings adorned his face.

I sat up quickly and assumed a bow. “I’m sorry for sleeping on you and not being at your disposal! I’m also sorry for referring to you so casually, Amatsu Kitsune-sama!” I pressed my hands to the ground and expected a reprimanding.

“Please don’t be so formal with me, Kudo san. I’m just Kaito. Also, you took care of me; I am in your debt.”

“No, Kaito sama. You take care of everyone in this land and I am your kannushi. There’s no need to thank me.” I refused to lift my head and remained reverent.

“Kudo san, please lift your face and look into my eyes.” I flinched, but slowly raised my eyes to meet his. It was my first time observing his face so closely and a strange feeling clenched at my heart. His eyes were gorgeous, violet with a glittering of stars speckled throughout the irises. His skin was so smooth, and he looked so poised, so collected, so elegant. Yet, he wore a soft, almost tender look.

“Kaito sama… thank you for saving my life,” I finally whispered, dumbstruck by his beauty.

“You’re one of my loyal followers, it’s my job, Kudo san. Besides, you supply me with the sweetest offerings.” With that, Kaito summoned two plums and offered me one. I hesitated, but then accepted.

“Maeda is always trying to overstep boundaries too… she’s been nothing but trouble since the shrine she was tied to was abolished. Having no one to worship her, she fell to eating human souls… it’s terribly disgraceful.” I looked down guiltily.

“I didn’t even realize that she was a youkai… I should have known.”

“Don’t be too hard on yourself, Kudo san. Maeda is a master of disguise and you’re a kannushi, most youkai can’t mess with you. Your spiritual energy, while drawing them in, is too much for them to handle. I can’t have Maeda targeting you again, though. Please close your eyes.”

Obediently, I complied, but they flicked open again when I felt warm breath on my face. Kaito sama placed his lips against my forehead and a chilling warmth spread throughout my whole body. A blush rose in my cheeks as he pulled back and met my eyes. My heart raced at how close our faces were and my forehead tingled where his lips had been.

“I thought I told you to close your eyes,” Kaito sama teased.

“Instinct snapped them back open, my apologies.”

“I placed a blessing on you, Kudo san. Maeda can’t touch you now, but please be more careful. Don’t accept gifts from strangers.”

“Thank you, Kaito sama—”

“Just Kaito, please.”

“K-Kaito.” His smile sent butterflies into my stomach and I swallowed. _Shinichi, don’t fall for your deity, please don’t fall for your deity!_ “Th-then, please call me Shinichi… i-if we’re being so informal, that is…” I looked away as my ears burned.

“Shinichi, hmm…” Kaito seemed to taste my name and the way he purred my name out, made me swallow again. “I think I like you, Shinichi. A bit gutsy, making a request of a god, no?”

“I’m sorry! I meant no offense—”

“And none was taken. Don’t be so stiff around me, Shinichi. I may be a god, but I don’t like being treated so formally, and I really don’t like when people dodge glass shards around me.” His eyes narrowed and I knew he wasn’t to be questioned.

“Well, K-Kaito… is there anything I can do for you? Are you feeling better?” He chuckled at this.

“Of course, I’m fine, Shinichi! I’m a god after all. I’m not as fragile as you humans. More importantly, how are you feeling? Any remnants of the curse placed on you?”

“No, I feel fine, thank you.”

“Good, that pleases me,” his mellow smile tugged at my heart strings and I knew I needed to leave.

“Well, I should return to the shrine then. I need to complete my chores and report what happened to the head kannushi. Thank you again, Kaito.” I stood and bowed lowly before starting to collect my belongings.

“Shinichi!” I turned to face him. “Visit with me again, please. Come to this cave if you ever want to chat.” I nodded but left the cave without another word. I couldn’t be in Kaito sama’s presence anymore. He was too alluring.

* * *

_“How does Amatsu Kitsune sama bring light to the night?”_

_“Every hundred years or so, a new celestial fox is brought into the world and made into Amatsu Kitsune sama. He spends the next hundred or more years growing and honing his power. Then, the universe gives the celestial fox his ninth tail and a title. This title reflects the light the celestial fox will protect. For example, one of our celestial foxes protects lunar eclipses and the red moon.”_

_“What’s our current celestial fox’s title?”_

_“We don’t know. The universe hasn’t decided, meaning the fox hasn’t earned his ninth tail yet.”_

* * *

WINTER

While I had tried to avoid Kaito sama, he slowly won me over and I found myself rushing through my chores and daily tasks to slip away into the woods or the cave to talk with him. He was a hopeless flirt, but our conversations were engaging, and he managed to bring out a personality I’d hidden after coming to the shrine.

“Why did you even choose to be a kannushi, Shinichi? With your brain and talents, you could have traveled to a bigger town to become a writer or an aristocrat.”

I smiled, “It’s really simple, actually. I’m terrified of the dark. I can’t abandon the land or the god who always promised me light. Besides, being a kannushi allows me time to read and write.”

“What about the darkness scares you?” Kaito asked, his tails flicking back and forth.

“It’s rather silly, but I scared of what I can’t see. I’m scared that I’ll never see again, that I’ve lost it all. Being in the dark means I’m alone; I can’t prove that others are around me.”

“I’ll never let this mountain go dark. I promise to keep the lights for you.”

“Promise them to others too, Kaito.”

“Sure, sure. You’re my favorite though, Shin chan!”

“Don’t play favorites, Fox,” I clicked my tongue. Kaito fell backwards onto my lap. His head nestled comfortably, and my hand instinctively patted his head.

“Your fur is so soft.”

“Right? I take good care of it, you know. I’m a proud fox after all.”

“Heh, it must be nice to have fur in the winter. Sometimes I get so cold it hurts. My body is too delicate! Can’t take the heat or the cold.”

“Are you too cold now? Do you need a fire? I can make us one—”

“Just being with you is enough to keep me warm, Kaito.” The words that tumbled from my mouth without a second thought and they brought a blush to both our faces and my hand froze in his hair. _What am I doing? This is completely inappropriate! I can’t be forming feelings like this for Kaito!_

“Shinichi.” My attention redirected to Kaito. “So, there’s a festival coming up in town, y’know… the frozen lake festival where all the villagers celebrate the full moon’s reflection in the ice. Would you accompany me to the festival? I’ll hide my ears and we can keep a low profile! I know that we’re really not supposed to interact and we’re not to be seen together by others, but… I really want to see the festival with you.” For once, the cocky fox’s cool demeanor was blush-red embarrassed, and his ears lay flat against his head nervously. I released a slow breath and ran my bottom lip through my teeth.

“I can’t say no to you, Kaito…" I sighed. "During the miko dance, when everyone is paying attention to their dance, you can join me, and we can say our prayers at the lake and admire the reflection. Only then, however. I have duties at the festival too. You better come disguised! No ears and no tails!”

“Thank you, Shin chan!” A brief moment of silence fell over us as I contemplated something. 

“Say, Kaito, why do you want to spend so much time with me?” His face fell into a neutral expression and his eyes flicked away from mine.

“It’s tradition that celestial foxes—well, youkai in general—don’t make human acquaintances… I mean our lifespans and lifepaths are completely incompatible, so I’ve avoided all humans. There’s no point in making friendly with people you’ll see die one day. Besides, humans shouldn’t meddle in youkai concerns. You all are so weak as a species and have little survival skills.”

“Then why me?”

“You intrigued me, that’s all. I never meant to see you again after you caught me playing my shamisen, but… Maeda brought me back out again as it’s my job to protect you. Somehow, you made me realize that I’m lonely. In my 150 years of being alone, you finally made me realize I’m lonely. It’s a bit shameful for me to admit this, given that I’m your deity… but... it’s the truth.”

“It’s not shameful to admit! You’re a living creature too! It’s unfair that you have to be alone!” I defended. He blinked at me with a surprised expression, before his face softened to fondness.

“And this is why you’re my favorite human, Shinichi.” A sheepish smile covered my face and I couldn’t hide the happiness that welled up in me.

“I should probably head back, Kaito. I need to be home before nightfall and a blizzard could kick up at any moment.”

“I will see you at the festival then.”

“Yes, see you then.” I left him under the plum trees and walked back to the shrine with conflicting feelings budding inside. _I can’t be feeling the way I feel for Kaito sama… I’ll be serving him for life! I can’t be falling prey to these human emotions. A youkai would never fall for a human too, especially not Kaito! He knows the time gap between humans and youkai well! I am dedicated to him as a servant, not as a lover! I need to quell these feelings!_

_And yet… every time I see him, I can’t help but feel a warmth rising throughout my body… and yet, I can’t stop meeting him. I can’t stop engaging with him. I can’t stop saying ‘yes’ every time he asks to meet with me… I can’t help but fantasize about him and his beautiful self. God, he’s so beautiful, so funny, so, so… he’s the embodiment of light!_

With swirling emotions and a twisting stomach, I gathered wood for the shrine.

* * *

I was in charge of many miscellaneous tasks throughout the festival but had somehow avoided any tasks that took place during or after the miko dance. So, as everyone’s eyes were transfixed upon the mystical miko dance, my eyes were stolen by an ethereal fox wearing a pure white kimono.

He leaned down and his whisper-breath danced on my ears, warming my face. “You look amazing, let’s get out of her.” His hand met mine and we weaved through the crowd to the forest. He was leading me to the lake.

“I look amazing?” I scoffed. “You… you’re too much for words to describe! This kimono is so beautiful on you. I’m glad you didn’t come earlier… everyone would have stared!”

“Thank you, Shinichi…” his hand tightened around mine. We continued our walk in silence until we made it to the lake. After the miko dance, everyone else would walk to the lake, but we would have the first view.

My breath caught in my throat at the beauty of the moonlight reflecting on the lake. “Kaito—”

“You’re beautiful.” While my eyes were wide and focused on the lake, Kaito stared at me with tearful eyes that threatened to overflow. “You’re so beautiful, Shinichi. Not even this lake reflecting the perfect moon compares to you.”

“Kaito…?”

“I must admit, Shinichi, I’ve been selfish. Your beloved deity… I…” He shook his head and the tears fell from his eyes. He didn’t explain why, but he pulled me into a hug so tight I could feel his claws poking through my kimono.

We then stood in silence, pressed against one another, admiring the moonlit lake. Being alone made this whole experience enchanting, almost magical. An irrational anger threatened to rise in me as I realized others would soon be here and ruin this quiet moment.

Before the others could arrive, I offered to walk with Kaito back to our cave. “We can drink some sake and warm up.”

“Did you sneak some from the shrine?”

“It’s your sake, so it’s not really stealing, right?”

“You’re unforgivable, Shinichi.”

“I’m just serving my deity.” Our hands swayed while we walked through the glowing forest. Aside from our heartbeats and whispers, not a sound could be heard with the snow falling around us.

“You know… I used to be dead terrified of walking in the forest at night.”

“What happened?”

“How can I be scared now? I’m with the god of night lights. I know you’d protect me no matter what.”

“That’s right. No one will ever hurt _my_ Shinichi.” I couldn’t help but duck my head and smile, while tightening my grip on his hand.

At the cave, we downed ochoko after ochoko of sake while huddling together in front of a fire that Kaito had lit. The alcohol brought a warm fuzziness to my mind. All I could think to myself was how happy I was.

“Shinichi…” I turned to my companion, who had pupils shot wide with alcohol. The gaze he gave me caused a strange feeling to fill my stomach, a feeling I wanted to explore more.

“Kaito…” I leaned towards him clumsily, but he knew my intents and met me in the middle.

Our first kiss must have been sloppy, but it quenched a deep longing within my soul. Our kiss deepened and we desperately, achingly clung to each other. Months of pining, wanting, restraining, and longing played out on that snowy night.

I realized that I’d never felt whole until that night, I’d never lived until that night. I needed him, I needed Kaito. However, this physical want was trumped by something even stronger, a feeling that snuck up on me and took root in my heart. I loved him with all my heart, with all of my soul. World be damned, I loved him relentlessly.

The next morning, I awoke hungover, sore, cold, and tangled in Kaito’s limbs. A sense of guilt filled me, but when Kaito pulled me into another embrace, all regrets left my mind. Thus, we started the forbidden.

* * *

_“What happens after the celestial fox receives his title?”_

_“Our shrine’s miko make his ceremonial kimono and we prepare for the lighting ceremony.”_

_“The lighting ceremony?”_

_“Yes, this is where the celestial fox completes his journey and becomes a light in the sky. Thus, we have lights in the night sky.”_

_“What do you mean by ‘completes his journey’?”_

_“Well, the celestial fox leaves our world and becomes light. It is the inevitable fate of all celestial foxes. They are the lights in the night sky. Celestial foxes live to maturity so that they can shelter us from the darkness, and we worship them until they leave us. Then, we are forever grateful for their sacrifices.”_

_“S-sacrifice?”_

* * *

SPRING

Our relationship—forbidden as it was—blossomed with the spring flowers. Plum blossoms foretold the end of winter and cherry blossoms announced spring’s arrival. The warmer weather led to me sleeping with Kaito every night in the cave. I’d sneak away from the shrine and wake up early to avoid the suspicion of anyone at the shrine.

Kaito accompanied me in his fox form to the town when I fetched offerings or other miscellaneous supplies, and I occupied his afternoons once my daily tasks had been completed. We were completed engrossed in one another and I’d never been happier.

However, sometimes I caught my lover with tears in his eyes. I never pushed for information—when I did, he deflected—but I learned the cause soon enough.

“You got your ninth tail! Congratulations! What’s your title?”

“…Comet of Granting Wishes…”

“You’re a shooting star! That fits you so well!” I cooed at his new title, but he did not return my enthusiasm.

“Shinichi…”

“What happens next?”

“Shinichi—”

“We’ll have to celebrate!”

“Shinichi!” I quieted up. “Do you know the story of the celestial fox?”

“Y-yeah! You’re going to be the guardian of comets, right?”

“…Yes and… no.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Please sit down, Shinichi.” I obeyed quickly, but my eyes betrayed my questions and concern.

“Celestial foxes aren’t just the guardians of light… they are the light. By getting my title, it’s… Shinichi… I don’t have much time left. I’m going to leave soon.” His voice had fallen to a strangled whisper and my face morphed into a still horror.

“N-no one ever told me—” I attempted to squeak out, but my voice died prematurely.

“I’m sorry…”

“Don’t tell anyone you got your title! No one needs to know!”

“I can’t do that Shinichi—”

“Why?! It’s not like you interact with anyone else! I won’t tell anyone!”

“I can’t do that! If I do that… then the night sky will lose its light, the world will descend into darkness!”

“I don’t care—”

“Shinichi! You’re the one who’s afraid—”

“Let the rest of the world suffer!”

“Don’t say that!”

“I don’t care if the whole world turns dark and we lose the ability to know what’s out there… I don’t care if our nights become hell…”

“Shinichi, you’re being unreasonable—”

“Please don’t leave me!” Kaito flinched back at this. “Kaito, please! Please don’t leave me!”

“This is why we’re not supposed to interact… this is why humans are the absolute worst. You stole my heart and you’re begging me to forsake my sacred duties. I lived 150 years in solitude and in less than one year, you changed my whole world. Humans are terrifying, you’re terrifying Shinichi. And yet, I love you. I irrevocably love you.” He was shaking his head. Even his poise couldn’t mask the breaking emotions present on his face.

“It doesn’t matter what I want to do anyways… the head kannushi already knows… without me having to tell him, he knows. I’m meeting with him tonight to formally start the preparation for the lighting ceremony.”

“…I see…”

“I’m sorry, Shinichi…”

“We’ll have to make the most of the little time we have left then.” I offered him the wavering smile I’d etched into my face and he returned an equally pained smile.

“That’s all that we can do.”

We had at most a month together, the length of time it would take the miko to make Kaito’s ceremonial robes. So, each day, in between preparations for the ceremony, I spent with Kaito. We kissed, held each other, walked, talked, slept, anything and everything. We futilely tried to turn a month into a lifetime.

Spring had always been my favorite season and it would be the season I’d remember Kaito best by. Flurries of pink petals that painted his hair, soft green grasses that he napped on, streams teeming with fish that he splashed through.

I knew he was taking this hard. Somewhere in between meeting me and today, he’d fallen in love with life. I often caught him practicing his shamisen with tears flowing freely from his eyes. His delicate, deft fingers along the strings humbled the animals of this forest and brought me to my knees. His humming hinted at the mourning songs that played inside his heart. I couldn’t help but watch and clutch at my chest as tears streamed down from my eyes.

Each day, Kaito glowed more and more. He was becoming a brilliant comet before my very eyes and I prayed to every god that time would halt. The more he shined, the more beautiful he became, the closer our goodbye was. It was unfair.

“The miko are almost done with the attire. Tomorrow is the last day.” Kaito murmured to me that night. “Tomorrow night… I…” he didn’t finish his sentence and instead pulled me closer into his chest. I wrapped my arms and legs around him, desperate for physical connection. _You can’t fit a lifetime into a moment, but I pray this moment lasts a lifetime._

We spent the night awake, unable to sleep. We idly talked, we cried, we hugged, we exchanged laughs, and, inevitably, I held him as he fell intangible.

When I realized that I could no longer touch him, I fell to my hands and knees and wailed. My fists beat against the cave’s floor before wrapping around myself tightly. Kaito watched, unable to touch me, unable to help me. Now, only the delicate fabric woven with threads of silver and gold would be able to touch the fox.

Since it was dawn, I returned to the shrine only to find everyone already scrambling about for the ceremony. I felt empty but followed orders mindlessly. Somehow, the day dragged into night and it was time to say goodbye.

“Kaito…”

“Shinichi.”

“You look beautiful in this kimono. The miko really outdid themselves.”

“Yes, this exaggerated clothing will become part of my comet’s tail.”

“So, this really is goodbye?”

“It is.”

“I won’t see you again?”

“20 years.”

“Huh?”

“20 years. In 20 years, my comet will pass by your world again. You will see me then. When you see that comet, please remember me.”

“I could never forget you, Kaito.”

“I pray you move on. I pray that you find happiness beyond a youkai that was trapped by destiny.”

“I won’t. I love you Kaito.”

“I love you too, Shinichi.” I attempted to wrap my arms around him out of habit, but they fell through his body and tears rose in my eyes again. “Don’t cry, Love. It’s going to be okay. I’ll keep the nights lit for you. I’ll protect you from the dark, I promise.” He was crying now; I could see the flecks of light that rolled off his cheeks and into the air.

I shook my head and forced a smile. “I’ll serve you and the other celestial foxes until my dying breath.”

“We’ve run out of time, Shinichi.”

“You’ll be beautiful out there, Kaito.”

“I love you.”

“I love you too.”

With that, we quickly parted and assumed our ceremonial roles. Mine consisted of mostly observation, while Kaito was the main star.

At midnight exact, Kaito emerged from back of the shrine wearing the beautiful kimono. His body shone brightly, and he wore a determined face. His nine tails were fluffed out proudly and his ears were pointed. He looked regal. The miko played instruments and the kannushi prayed. I simply watched.

Looking back at me one last time, Kaito’s body transformed into his nine-tailed fox form and the kimono morphed into a sash that wrapped around his body. His white fur glistened, and stardust flaked off his transparent body. His violet eyes were filled with stars and each step he took brightened his light until it seemed to be daylight outside. He then took off running down a trail of toori gates that led to a cliff overlooking the valley.

He ran and ran, and his feet started to glide on the air. His form started to melt, and, as he reached the last gate, he leapt off the cliff into the night sky and up into the heavens above. Now just light, he streaked across the night in the form of a shooting star, a comet.

My legs shook and failed me as I collapsed to the ground. The tears fell wordlessly, and I didn’t even notice when the miko ran to my side. All I saw was his brilliant light streaking across the sky. I made a wish. _Please, dear gods, let me reunite with Kaito one day!_ The wish was sealed with my folded hands and tears.

The kannushi soon found out about my illicit relationship with ‘Amatsu Kitsune sama’, but I wasn’t punished. He said I’d faced punishment enough in this outcome. Instead, he began properly training me for the kannushi role. He died the next winter and I became a full-time kannushi.

The new Amatsu Kitsune sama hadn’t surfaced yet and I wondered if they, like Kaito, were wary of human interaction. I spent most of my days reading and praying. However, I recently picked up writing. I needed to record proof of my days with Kaito, to solidify them, to eternalize them. Thus, this writing itself is memorialization of my love for Kaito.

I fell in love with a god, a god who became a comet, a god who would forever light my night, a god who would never vacate my heart. I promised that whenever I took on an apprentice, that I would warn them early about the fate of relationships with celestial foxes, but I would also remind them of the utter loneliness they faced. Because, no matter how I looked at it, a year of Kaito was worth a lifetime of heartache.

No, I didn’t spend every waking moment consumed with grief and heartache, at least not after the first month. I had a life to live; Kaito would’ve wanted that for me. He still pulled at my heartstrings though. The old plum tree’s trunk became more gnarly and twisted with each year, but it would always be the first place where I met Kaito and heard his lovely shamisen skills. The frozen lake festival would always send flutters in my stomach as I remembered our first kiss and night together. Sake would always have the aftertaste of his lips.

Twenty years after we said goodbye, I spent the whole day in quiet prayer. The miko and my apprentice knew to let me be. Then, at night, I wandered to the last toori gate by the cliff and watched the comet. Tears surfaced in my eyes as memories of my young love came rushing back to me and emotions that had dulled sharpened again. _My love in the sky, I pray you’ll come to me. I pray that for just a moment we’ll see each other again. I pray that I can hold you again._

I fell asleep at the gate and my wish was granted in a dream. For one night, we shared another embrace. For one night, he told me the wonders of the heavens. For one night, I reminisced on my past. We shared sake and held each other tightly. When morning came and it was time for me to say goodbye, I accepted my fate gracefully and we parted again. I was over 40 years old now. It was doubtful that I would see another 20 years, so I was satisfied. Life had been good to me; the gods had been good to me. I would spend the rest of my days writing and serving my god.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading and I hope you all enjoyed! Please leave kudos or comment if you'd like!
> 
> Italic chunks are exposition presented by Shinichi as he talks to his new apprentice. 
> 
> I like to think that Kaito and Shinichi eventually reunited permanently. 
> 
> Also, after Kaito leaves, Shinichi becomes one of the most renown kannushi for his writings on youkai, the otherworld, and philosophical musings. He writings were controversial though, for humanizing youkai and their feelings. After Shinichi dies, his personal story on his relationship with Kaito comes to light and it's the talk of the century. Human and youkai relationships were an avoided topic in conversation after all. 
> 
> Thank you again for reading! If you have a one-shot idea you'd like to see come to fruition, feel free to comment!  
> ~ hototogisu ~
> 
> I do not own Detective Conan/名探偵コナン or Magic Kaito/まじっく快斗. All rights go to Gosho Aoyama/青山 剛昌. Any similarities to other written works are purely coincidental. DO NOT repost this work. Translations must be requested, and if in Spanish or Japanese, I must approve the translation.


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